stearns



(No Model.)

SKIRT PROTEUTING GARMEBVJ-V llll ll www l (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet W.D. STEARNS.

SKIRT PROTBGTING GARMBNT.

N. PETERS. Pnow-Lmmgmphnn washington. DA c,

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. D. STBARNS. Y SKIRT PROTEGTING GARMENT.

Patented Dec. `24, 18849.

(No Model.)

N4 PETERS, Phalu-Inhngnpher, wamnglcu. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

VILFRID D. STEARNS, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SKIRT-PROTECTING GARM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,082, dated December24, 1889. Application tiled November 7,1889. Serial No. 329.519. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILFEID D. STEAENs, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W'ater-ProofGarments;l and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexeddrawings, making a part of this speci- Iication, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements inover-garments, especially water-proof garments, of that class designedfor protecting womens skirts, more particularly the bottoms thereof; andit has for its object, among others, to provide an improved device ofthis character having a folding portion upon its inner face at thebottom, the said folding portion being designed to form a pocket toreceive the bottom edge of the skirt, and constructed to be manipulatedthrough the medium of cords or tapes connected with the hinged arms andextending to within convenient reach of the hand of the wearer. Theupper edge of the inner wall of the pocket is `preferably scalloped toprovide points which facilitate the insertion thereof behind the loweredge of the skirt, and the upper edges or ends ofthe folding arms areturned slightly outward also to facilitate the insertion behind orbeneath the skirt, and also to avoid all liability of the same catchinginto or injuring the leg of the wearer.

Other novel features and advantages of the invention will hereinafterappear.

The invention consists in the peculiar combinations and the novelconstruction, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fullyhereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and then particularlypointed out in the appended claims.V

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which* Figure l is a view showing in use a ladyswaterproof cloak constructed in accordance with my invention with partsbroken away. Fig. 2 is a View of the cloak thrown open and showing theinner or under side thereof with portions broken away. Fig. 3 is anenlarged View of a portion of the lower part of the cloak, looking atthe inner side, with the folding portion distended. Fig. 4.- is aperspective view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the metal armsemployed, with its operating cord or tape attached thereto. Fig. 5 is avertical section through the lower portion of the cloak with the skirtin the pocket thereof.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates aladys waterproof cloak of ordinary construction, except as hereinafterspecified. It is provided atits lower edge with an inner folding portionB, which may be provided by making the cloak of extra length, or bymeans of a separate piece attached to the bottom of the cloak in anysuitable manner. The upper edge of this inner folding portion B isscalloped, as shown at b, providing the points a, which serve to aid inthe insertion of the said inner portion by means of its arms,hereinafter described, behind or beneath the lower edge of the skirt.The number of these scallops and points may be varied as desired, but Iprefer about twelve, as shown. v

Secured in suitable pockets, as c, upon the inner adjacent faces of thecloak and the portion B are the metallic arms C, each of which consistsof aportion d, which is attached to the cloak, and a portion e, which issecured in the pocket in the portion B. These two portions CZ and e areconnected together by means of a short arm D, hinged `at each end to theportions d and e, as shown best in Figs. 4 and 5, by means of hinges fand g, as shown in said figures. These hinges are so constructed thatthe short arm D cannot go beyond a horizontal position in a downwarddirection, but will permit of the short arm and the portion e beingfolded flat against the portion d when it is desired to fold or roll thecloak into a small space. These arms are inserted, one at each scallopor point of the folding portion B, with the point of the portion cbeveled upon opposite sides to make it conform to the shape of thepocket at this point, and the upper end is slightly bent inward, asshown at h in Figs. l, 4f, and 5, to facilitate the insertion of thesame behind or IOO beneath the lower edge of the skirt, and also toprevent its coming in contact with the leg of the wearer.

Fig. 5 shows the position the parts assume when the cloak is on the bodyof the wearer and the skirt held in the pocket and the folding portionyB drawn up and fastened. In order to provide for the ready manipulationof this folding port-ion by the wearer after the cloak is on, I havedevised the following: E

are tapes or cords att-ached at one end, as ati fz, to the free ends ofthe portions e of the arms C near one side of the front of the cloak.The cords or tapes are then passed through suitable loops j on theportions d of the arms and througl'rsuitable guides la on the inner sideof the cloak, as shown best in Fig. 2, and at their upper end are unitedand formed into a loop or button-hole Z, as shown in said Fig. 2,designed to engage a button F on the under face of the cloak. The threearms at the other side of the cloak are arranged in the same manner, andthe loop or button-hole thereof is designed to be engaged with the samebutton. The arms at the back of the cloak are provided with similartapes or cords G, which pass through similar guides upon the inner faceof the cloak, as `shown in Fig. 2, and at their upper ends are dividedinto two sets, each terminating in a tape or cord H and I, designed topass over the shoulders of the wearer, and at the ends provided with aloop or button-hole m. These tapes are designed to pass over theshoulders, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, and' together withthe tapes or cords E to be buttoned all upon the one button F, asindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l. Vhen the cloak is first put on,the folding portion is distended, and after it is partially buttoned upthewearer has sim* ply to pull upward upon the tapes or cords E anddownward upon the tapes or cords G and fasten them all upon the buttonF, the pulling of the tapes orv cords pulling upward the armsvC, or thefolding vportions thereof, from which they are shown by dotted lines inFig.

4 and in Fig. 5 by fulllines. For the comfort of the wearer and toprovide an even strain.

or tension upon the cords or tapes, some portion of the tapes or cordsshould be elastic, of any suitable nature. The parts are all hidden fromexterior View, and thus do not detract from the appearance of thegarment, and tend to better the fit thereof and render it morepresentable to the eye.

Around the bottom of the garment, arranged in suitable guide-loops n onthe portions d of the arms C, I run a tape I', the ends of which may besecured in any suitable manner, and this tape is for the purpose ofholding the lower portion of the cloak in position and prcvent its beingpulled upward as the cords are pulled upon to'close the pocket. Thisshould be fastened before the tapes are pulled upon, otherwise thepulling on the tapes is liable -to pull outward the lower edge of thecloak and give ita rumpled appearance, which is obj ectionable.

What I claim as new is- 1. An over-garment having an extension at itsbottom to fold up inwardly and envelop the bot-tom of a skirt and havinga series of folding clasps connected to the body of the garment and tothe extension, in combination with a series of cords connected to saidclasps and loosely to the garment above the clasps, whereby by elevatingthe cord the extension is caused to fold, and means for securing thecords in their elevated position, as set forth.

2. An over-garment having an extension at its bottom to fold up inwardlyand envelop the bottom of a skirt, in combination with a series ofclasps secured to said extension and the body of the garment, each claspconsisting of two arms connected at their lower ends by hinges to ashort arm, and means for retaining said extension and clasps in a foldedposition, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

VILFRID D. STEARNS.

Iitnessesz JOHN J. CLANCY, JOSEPH HoBLITZ.

